The simplest thing you can do to support your immune system and fight off any invaders is to sip a refreshing cup of tea with a sprig of thyme, rosemary and a sage leaf.  You could add honey and/or lemon juice and/or ginger root. You could even add mint and lemon balm or lemon verbena and create your own combination.  All the herbs are powerful antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial.
I often add a leaf of plantain as well.  It has the ability to pull out toxins and to provide minerals such as magnesium.
While you are letting your tea steep, you could breathe in the vapours and enjoy the scent, while contemplating just how strong your immune system is.

Four thieves vinegar

Natural vinegars, like cider vinegar, wine vinegar or rice vinegar are an excellent solvent to extract the minerals, vitamins, alkaloidal components and essential oils that are rich in plants.

 Four Thieves Vinegar

This infused antiviral, antibacterial, tonic vinegar comes from the time of the Bubonic Plague. There are a number of variations on the story that tells the tale of four thieves, one of whom was a herbalist, who used to steal from the dead victims of the plague.  The thieves were eventually caught and taken to court in Marseilles where they were offered freedom for the recipe of how they managed to avoid the plague.  They drank this potent vinegar and also washed themselves with it several times a day.

 You can choose what to put in this vinegar from the plants with antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral properties from the following:

Mint, Lavender, Sage, Wormwood, Rue, Yarrow, Rosemary, Thyme, Ginger root, Lemon balm, Plantain, Nasturtium -  leaves or seeds (green seeds are biting hot), Cinnamon stick
, Hot peppers, or peppercorns, Garlic

In my version I used the herbs in the photo from the left going clockwise:  Wormwood (dried), (the following are all fresh leaves) Rue, Rosemary, Lavender, Sage. 
Thyme is above the Lavender and Oregano is in the middle.  Garlic not in the photo.

Vinegar of the Four Thieves Recipe Example

Organic apple cider vinegar, 
2 tblsp dried sage, 
2 tblsp dried lavender,  
2 tblsp dried wormwood, 
2 tblsp dried rue, 2 tblsp dried mint ,
2 tblsp garlic – sliced

Combine dried herbs (except the garlic) and steep in the vinegar for three weeks. Strain and re-bottle. Add the garlic, leave for three days and strain again. You can also use fresh plants (or a combination as I did).  Cut the leaves into approximately 2cm lengths.  Loosely fill a jar with chopped plants and roots, then pour in the vinegar to fill. Leave for six weeks and then strain. Add the garlic as above, leave for three days, strain and bottle.  If the jar lid is not plastic line it with wax paper or plastic as vinegar corrodes metal lids.

Easy method - you can also just put sprigs of plants in the bottle with the garlic, pour over the cider vinegar and it will work the same.


Ways to Use Thieves Vinegar

• For illness or immune boosting.  Take 1tsp in water every few hours, honey could be added.  Or take one tablespoon per day for immunity boosting.

• As a surface disinfectant – put strained vinegar in a spray bottle, spray on surfaces and wipe clean. 

• As a insect repellent – put 1/4 cup vinegar in a spray bottle and fill the rest with water.  Spray on skin, clothes, etc.  From Wellness Mama.

Diluted, as a topical treatment for dandruff, or as a foot soak for nail fungus.

Gathering Purslane seeds

Purslane Portulaca oleracea loves hot dry summers. It likes to spread over the ground. It has crunchy, juicy succulent leaves valued by many cultures. Its just here in New Zealand people see it as a pesky nuisance of a weed. 
However it is very nutritious and has the highest levels of Omega 3 fatty acid of any leafy green plant. It also contains antioxidants, amino acids and Vitamin E. 
Because its such a great summer plant I like to collect some seeds.

You can see the tiny black purslane seeds sitting in their cups.  They have a lid which falls off or you can take it off to get the seeds.

Plants and leafy green will definitely support your physical body and boost your immunity.  I also believe we need to take care of our emotions as they also play a big role in our health.  At this time with the challenges that are occurring there are increased levels of worry, fear and anxiety. These emotions compromise our immune system and weaken it. However there are things we can do to empower ourselves and research has shown that balancing the energetic nature of our mind and emotions while practicing compassionate care of ourselves and others enhances the immune system. So I wanted to share a technique that I myself find very effective called EFT or Emotional freedom technique.  Here is a short guided meditation led by expert Dawson Church  for releasing fears including the fear of infectious disease.

If you are new to EFT here is a short introduction to it.

This is a lively and incredibly informative Ted X talk by Dr Pamela Peeke. A Physician, Scientist, New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Peeke's latest release, The Hunger Fix, is the first consumer book describing the newly emerging science of food, addiction and epigenetics. Dr. Peeke is founder of the Peeke Performance Center for Healthy Living, guiding people through the mental and physical transformations of their life journeys.

I love this talk as Dr Peeke presents the research that proves we are what our grandparents ate and that we can transform our health eating greens which is music to my ears. Thank you Felix for sending me the link!

In the photo of microgreens to the left are plantain, curly kale at the top and purslane to the right. All nutritious, tender and tasty.

Actually speaking of microgreens now is a good time to sow some as they are a quick crop for salads and fresh food e.g. sunflower seeds, kale, peas, blue peas, cress, mustard and basil.

Happy for No Reason

Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars... and if you have eyes you will be able to see

that the whole existence is joyful. Everything is simply happy. Trees are happy for no reason;

they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance.

Look at the flowers - for no reason. It is simply unbelievable
how happy flowers are.
~ Osho


The golden glowing tree to the left is a sugar maple growing at Mount Tomah, NSW where I visited with my brother and his family last year.

I found this article in the Sustainable Business Network email I get on Sir Rob Fenwick who I confess I hadn't heard of before.  He recently died a short time after Jeanette Fitzsimmons the legendary environmentalist and former co-leader of the Greens Political Party.  We have just lost two committed leaders who've dedicated their lives to the betterment of the environment.  These words from Sir Rob are an urgent message to action.  I wanted to share Sir Rob's message as I feel the same.  While I am enjoying living in the suburbs and the garden I've created after being on the farm, the things I miss the most are large trees. My cottage was surrounded by six large trees of different species who were my friends and guardians. We need to plant more trees!

Magenta spreen in autumn

I wanted to show you the gorgeous colours I'm seeing now on some of the Magenta plants.

"The Chenopodiums are highly nutritious plants, rich in vitamins C and E, essentnial fatty acids, iron, calcium, other minerals and antioxidants that can neutralise free radicals.  The underside of the leaves and young leaves are covered in a fine pink (Magenta) or white (Fathen) dust.  Resist the temptation to wash it off, as it's full of mineral salts.  Among leafy greens, lamb's quarters is particularly rich in protein, even more so that kale, and it contains all nine essential amino acids."

Excerpt from my book "Julia's guide to edible weeds and wild green smoothies"

Here are the changes that you'll see on your plants of Magenta spreen.
The lovely pink leaves turn into flower heads with pink buds which then open to insignificant flowers with tiny yellow anthers covered in pollen that the bees are starting to find.  The wiggle all over the flowers gathering pollen into their pollen sacks.

Pollinating Chinese pumpkins

The Chinese pumpkins or Chinese courgettes (we have been unable to find their latin name) are very late in my garden this year.  I wonder if they've been waiting for the rain to produce female flowers because I didn't water the plant.  Now it is producing lots of female flowers and fruit. It would like to go up in the hedge but I'm preventing it. Its a climber extraordinaire.
I pollinated this flower so the fruit is growing.

This is a female flower (Courgettes look the same) and the female organ is called the style. It sort of looks like an ovary.  Behind this flower on the stalk is a small pumpkin.

This is a male flower with the stamen which is covered in powdery pollen.  What I did was rip the petals open and take them back so the stamen is exposed. Then I gently touch the style on the female flower with the stamen  so that pollen is deposited.  

You can see below this male flower there is no fruit or baby pumpkin just a stalk.
For some reason the bees which are close by did not pollinate my courgettes or these pumpkins. So I became the bee.

If you study your courgette and pumpkin flowers you'll become good at identifying male and female flowers.

Not a pretty picture but if the flower doesn't get pollinated the fruit rots. This happens with courgettes as well and many people wonder why they're not getting any courgettes.

I'll leave you with this beautiful Dandelion flower being worked by one of 'my' amazing girls. Dandelion flowers are made up of many individual flowers called ray florets and each petal is from one of those individual flowers.  These individual flowers all produce one seed with the fluff that flies away.  These balls of seeds are so soft - I was feeling it on my face and it didn't break up.  I love this photo with the ladybird.

Until next time stay healthy and happy for no reason!
love Julia